Report: Man stabs Las Cruces police dog during confrontation

LAS CRUCES >> A Las Cruces man suspected of stabbing a Las Cruces Police K-9 during an early-morning incident has been charged with a felony for causing serious injury to a service dog.

Alan A. Golden, 23, of the 5500 block of Big Sky Drive, is charged with one count of injury to a police dog, according to an LCPD news release. The charge is a fourth-degree felony.

Dave, the 6-year-old Dutch shepherd, was stabbed once on his left shoulder and rushed to the Las Cruces Animal Emergency Clinic where he received five staples to close the deep wound. Dave is recovering from his injuries at the home of his handler, a six year officer with LCPD. Dave has been with the Las Cruces Police Department for four years and with his current handler for more than two years.

Golden was transported to University Medical Center of El Paso for injuries he received from the dog. A warrant has been obtained for his arrest once he is released from the hospital.

Shortly before 1 a.m. Monday, Las Cruces Police responded to a neighborhood near Lynn Middle School where a man was reportedly lying on the ground. Officers located the man, later identified as Golden, near the corner of Walnut Street and Dr. King Way.

As officers tried to make contact with Golden, they noticed he was carrying a large knife and refused repeated demands to drop it.

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Golden sat down on a curb but held the knife to his own throat and reportedly tried to entice officers into shooting him. Officers deployed less-lethal beanbag rounds in an attempt to force Golden to drop the knife. At around the same time, K-9 Dave was deployed and engaged Golden.

During the struggle, Golden maintained possession of the knife and stabbed at Dave multiple times causing the one deep wound. Dave maintained his hold on Golden until an LCPD officer utilized a Taser to gain control of the subject.